Bridge "grant" far too costly

A grant to replace Zarbach Bridge at Thornton would cost Whitman County almost twice the cost of replacing it out of the county’s road budget, Public Works Director Mark Storey reported Monday.

Storey got permission from commissioners to begin a project to replace the 24-foot bridge with county crews at a cost of $114,000.

The county had been awarded a federal grant, but the additional permits and paperwork would have cost the county as much as $280,000, he said.

Storey said state bridge experts decided the replacement should cost about $220,000. With permits, regulatory reviews and a public b...